What varieties of freshwater angelfish are there? A detailed guide to common species classification

1. Common Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare

English name: Angelfish

Native to the waters from the central Amazon River to the Peru and Ecuador region, it is the original species from which today's general artificially improved angelfish breeds are derived. In its scientific name, pterophyllum means "as soft and light as a feather," while scalare describes its body stripes as being like a ladder. Apart from breeding, there are no obvious external sexual characteristics; the male's external genital organ is pointed, while the female's is round. This fish is quite peaceful and has a territorial nature. Around the aquarium, some small aquatic plants such as small vallisneria and large vallisneria can be planted, and rocks and driftwood can also be arranged, with some swimming space left open. This fish is an open spawner, and the water temperature only needs to be kept between 26 and 28 degrees C. The female will lay eggs on the surface of clean aquatic plant leaves, and can lay about 1000 eggs at a time. The parent fish will care for the fry and raise the young fish. It can be fed various live foods, lettuce, spinach, freeze-dried foods, and flake food. The maximum body length can reach 15 cm.

2. Long-nosed Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum dumerilii

English name: Long-nosed Angelfish

Native to the Amazon basin of South America. Its head outline is relatively rounded and extends to the tip of the snout. Because its snout is relatively long, it is less favored by people, so it is rarely seen on the market. This fish's habits are similar to those of the other two wild angelfish species, and if there is a chance to keep it, a similar management approach can be used.

3. Altum Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum altum

English name: Altum Angelfish

Native to the middle reaches of the Orinoco River in South America and its tributaries. It has a depression above the eyes and a protruding snout, the body surface is silvery white, and three broad, thick black bands run parallel through it. Apart from the breeding season, there are no obvious sexual characteristics; usually during the breeding period, the female's body shape is thicker. It is a peaceful species with a territorial nature. For breeding, weakly acidic soft water with a hardness of 1-5 degrees dGH and a pH of 5.8-6.0 can be used, with the temperature maintained at around 30-31 degrees C. For everyday keeping, the water temperature can be maintained between 28 and 30 degrees C, and it can be fed live foods, lettuce, spinach, and flake food, etc. The biggest difference between the altum angelfish and the common angelfish is that its dorsal line suddenly rises steeply above the nostrils. Its maximum body length can reach 18 cm.

Because there are quite a lot of artificially improved angelfish varieties, it can sometimes make species identification difficult, but you do have more choices for keeping the style or strain you like. Generally, the classification of artificially improved angelfish species can be divided according to variations in the tail fin, stripes, color, or scales into the following common categories.

(1) Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Angelfish

This refers to the offspring angelfish species produced by wild common angelfish mating and breeding under artificial conditions, that is, the artificially bred common angelfish. We usually also call it the common angelfish, ordinary angelfish, or white angelfish. It has obvious horizontal stripe distribution on its body, and different types have continuously been improved from it.

(2) Black Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Black Angelfish

Black represents mystery and elegance, and the characteristic of the black angelfish is its pitch-black body surface. Among angelfish, it is quite a standout member. This fish has individuals with long and short tail types, among which the long-tailed type is more popular, but overall it is a quite well-liked angelfish.

(3) Diamond Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Diamond Angelfish

Everyone loves a sparkling diamond. The scales on the body surface of this angelfish give off a dazzling silvery-white diamond-like luster, making it even more loved by everyone. At present, this improved breed is mostly short-tailed, and strains that have been developed include diamond marble angelfish, diamond crown angelfish, diamond golden angelfish, etc., but almost all are introduced from abroad.

(4) Blue Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Blue Angelfish

The body surface of the blue angelfish gives off a pure white to blue luster, and the blue coloration on the dorsal and anal fins is more obvious. But it gives a rather gentle impression. This soft, fresh appearance also makes it quite a distinctive member among improved angelfish breeds.

(5) Golden Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Golden Angelfish

The body surface of the golden angelfish gives off a silvery-white luster, while the fins and body shine with a golden glow. It is a quite beautiful and charming angelfish species. This fish has both long-tailed and short-tailed types, among which the long-tailed golden angelfish is especially loved by everyone.

(6) Half-Black Angelfish

Scientific name: pterophyllum scalare var.

English name: Half-Black Angelfish

This fish has the characteristic of body color divided sharply into two parts. It can usually be divided into two types: true half-black angelfish and general half-black angelfish. Among them, the one with body colors half black and half white, like one yin and one yang, with clear outlines, is called the true half-black angelfish, and this type is mostly short-tailed; as for the one whose body surface is slightly silver-gray and whose front part of the caudal peduncle is dark gray with a less distinct outline, it belongs to the general half-black angelfish. This kind of half-black angelfish has both long-tailed and short-tailed types, and is relatively more common.